Nick Clegg is on the wrong side of history

An important national discussion is opening up over Britain’s future in
Europe – we need to know what David Cameron thinks, too

Even more Tories would have joined the 50 or so backbenchers who voted for a real-terms cut in European spending had they not been sickened by Labour’s opportunism in supporting the fiscal prudence it never insisted upon when in power. Photo: Getty Images

The European Union celebrated its 19th birthday yesterday. The Maastricht Treaty, which enshrined the new identity of what had been the European Economic Community, came into force on November 1, 1993, with all the trappings of a new nation. It strengthened the European parliament, created a central bank, established common foreign and security policies and paved the way for a single currency.

The ratification of Maastricht by Parliament caused a split in the governing Conservative Party that dogged it throughout its remaining term in office. Yet the number of Tory MPs prepared to defy their leadership then was small compared with the rebellion seen in the Commons on Wednesday night in the debate on the EU budget. Even more would have joined the 50 or so backbenchers who voted for a real-terms cut in European spending had they not been sickened by Labour’s opportunism in supporting the fiscal prudence it never insisted upon when in power.

Many of Wednesday’s “rebels” are recently elected MPs, so to portray them as a troublesome rump of die-hard Eurosceptics wilfully misunderstands what is happening. This is not a re-run of Maastricht, but something more pragmatic: a new generation openly questioning the merits of belonging to an overweening institution that is the antithesis of everything they believe in.

Much of the responsibility for this growing disenchantment can be laid at the door of the Europhiles. For years they have sneered at concerns about the EU’s federalist intent, its undemocratic nature and its inherent wastefulness. That contempt was on show again yesterday when Nick Clegg, the Lib Dem leader and Deputy Prime Minister, said the parliamentary demand for a cut in spending cannot possibly be met. What an extraordinary admission that is. A Parliament whose principal function down the centuries has been to vote revenues for the executive is told that it cannot reduce the taxpayers’ contribution to a supra-national body that flatly refuses to make any savings in a time of economic hardship.

Mr Clegg yesterday scoffed at those who think that “stamping your foot” will enable Britain to rewrite its relationship with the European project. Yet, as one of the biggest net contributors to the EU budget, is not Britain entitled to take a stand? The Deputy Prime Minister remains wedded to the aggrandisement of a bloated autocracy which looks increasingly like an outdated relic of the Cold War era. That said, at least we know where he stands. An important national discussion is opening up over Britain’s future in Europe – we need to know what David Cameron thinks, too.